Live Below The Line

For the past five days we have been participating in Live Below The Line.

This means that you spend just $2 per person per day on food. 

I made a vegetable stock using the onion skins, ends of the celery and ends of the carrot.

So now I have to confess that as a family of four we had $8/day but I didn't actually include the kids lunch in this budget.

But the reason I signed us up was to support those who are in such great need and donate the money we saved.  

I made a vegetable, beef, and lentil ragu and homemade pasta (this made two dinners).

It was a real eye opener, you need to be resourceful, nothing can go to waste and you can't afford to buy quality ingredients.

Chicken drumstick with rice and green veges.

I also used a very small amount of honey but in the real third world I'm guessing they could not afford to buy such a luxury ingredient.

Roasted vegetables with homemade sourdough.

We ate cereal and milk for breakfast, and leftovers from dinners for lunch (this made portion sizes small).

The second dinner of pasta and ragu.

It was hard, and we were hungry.

Especially when you were exercising, made you think of those who physically work so hard yet are paid next to nothing. 

We felt sick due to lack of food.

Pumpkin soup and homemade sourdough.

This was our budget if your interested.

Note: I also used small amounts of oil, salt and sugar.

 

It really is a worthwhile week that I would encourage all of you to take part in next year.

I truly believe we can make a difference.

Coconut Butter Passionfruit Jam Drops

Recently I discovered Honest to Goodness, I have been buying their organic flour for my sourdough and also trying some of the other products.

I had to sit the jar in warm water as it went quite hard.

I was very keen to taste this coconut butter and was definitely not disappointed.

I've used it in many ways - a coconut custard, a frangipane tart and added a spoonful to finish a pumpkin soup. 

So beautiful and smooth with a very rich coconut flavour.

These little melt in your mouth dairy free cookies were an experiment.

Combine the coconut butter and icing sugar.

Mix in the sifted flours.

Add some coconut oil to bring it together.

Roll into bite size little balls.

Make a dent in your balls.

Fill with some jam.

Bake for fifteen minutes.

Cool on a rack.

The coconut flavour was superb and went beautifully with the passionfruit.

They melted in your mouth but the texture was quite different to a butter based cookie.

I think they are a delicious little treat.

Coconut Butter Passionfruit Jam Drops

(makes 30 bite size)

125g Coconut butter

30g Icing sugar

70g Plain flour

1/2 tsp Baking powder

50g Cornflour

1 tbsp Coconut oil

Passionfruit jam

Preheat oven 180C.

Combine the coconut butter and icing sugar.

Gently rub in the dry ingredients.

Add the coconut oil to bring it together as a dough.

Roll into little balls, place on lined oven tray and make a dent for the jam.

Fill with jam and bake for 15 minutes.

Cool on rack.

HelloFresh dinners

Most weeks I write out a menu and a specific shopping list so we buy only what we need.

HelloFresh does this for you, packs your box and delivers it to your door.

The promise is easy, fresh, quick dinners to cook from scratch.

So when I was offered to try a 3 meal box I was super excited.

It was such an excitement when the box was delivered and the kids helped unpack. 

Our first meal was braised cabbage and beetroot served with pork.

Very tasty, easy to cook and great fresh ingredients. 

Also the amounts provided for all the dishes were very generous, leaving plenty of leftovers for work lunch the next day.

The quality of the ingredients were very good, and it was so convenient having the exact quantity required.

The recipes are very clear to follow and its great to have the nutritional information.

Mushrooms are a favourite in our house so this one went down a treat but my daughter did say my gnocchi was better (lucky! - good to know homemade gnocchi is worth the effort).

The third recipe we cooked, a fish tagine, was my favourite. 

How awesome is this chermoula you make with loads of herbs, garlic and spices.

The fish is marinated and the vegetables cooked with a rich sauce, it all comes together at the end so the fish is cooked just right.

I would really love to be able to order a box on those weekends when we are away and don't make it to the markets, would be fabulous to have a box arrive on your doorstep on the monday evening.

It would really suit couples or families that work full time. 

The meals are quick and easy to make, and taste great.

It is not crazy expensive and you eat such an awesome variety of fresh food. 

Check out the current weeks menu, bet it sounds delicious.

Nigella Lemon Meringue Cake

I stumbled across this Nigella recipe for Lemon Meringue Cake and was so intrigued by it I had to give it a go.

It really is quite strange as you bake the meringue and cake layered together.

The lemony rich egg yolk cake is spread on the bottom of two tins, I don't actually have two the same size hence my interesting shaped cake.

And the glossy thick meringue layer spread on top.

It is then baked. 

Mine browned very quickly, so I turned the heat down a bit and loosely covered with foil.

After cooling in the tins you put one cake meringue side down.

Generously cover with lemon curd (make your own - its easy).

Top with some freshly whipped cream.

Then pop your next layer of cake on top.

Quite an ugly cake really but at the same time so impressive.

 I really liked it though next time I'll add extra lemon curd and take more care with the cake - make it softer and lighter.

Pancetta, Pea and Sage Risotto

This is delicious risotto recipe from Taste, although I did make a few adjustments. 

I use pancetta not prosciutto, I added a handful of chopped sage at the rice stage, I used ham stock not chicken (plus needed extra cup) and I grated parmesan on top but not through... but hey I don't have time to type out my version ;)

Either way risotto is always a simple tasty dish to cook. 

Chop up the pancetta, onion and garlic and cook until the onion is nice and soft.

Add the rice and chopped sage, and give it a decent couple of minutes cooking while stirring.

Add the white wine and cook until is basically gone.

Add the warm stock a ladle at a time and continually keep moving the rice around.

I add more stock once I can make a 'clear' space in my pot!

With the last ladle add the peas. 

Serve with topped crispy sage butter and a grating of parmesan.